Primarily a collection of news links about all 10 Horizon League teams on a daily basis, culled from online newspapers, school athletic websites, the conference website, and school newspapers, plus some other content from time to time.

Friday, October 14, 2011

News On The Horizon 10/14/2011

67. February 4: Detroit at Butler (12:00, ESPN2)- If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Detroit aims to claim their first Horizon League title since 1999 behind the guard play of Wooden Award watch list honoree Ray McCallum and all-conference second teamer Chase Simon. The Titans hope forward Eli Holman, a double-double threat who is currently on a leave of absence from the team to address personal matters, returns in time to bang bodies with a strong Butler frontcourt bolstered by the skilled Andrew Smith and athletic Khyle Marshall.

Andrew Smith, Butler- Sustainability is rare for a mid-major program, but back-to-back title game appearances tend to have a spiral effect. More success equals more exposure which results in more interest and more talented players. For Butler, another Final Four run is way too much to expect, but another conference title, top-25 ranking and NCAA Tournament appearance is attainable, mostly because players as talented as Andrew Smith are replacing program legends like Matt Howard. Smith played second fiddle to Howard in Butler’s frontcourt last year, but now he’s the featured act. Smith has the height (6’11″) and skill level to dominate and showed enough glimpses as a sophomore to convince me he’s an all-conference player in 2011-12.

Would Butler be planning a third straight title game trip?: Its possible, because they would be getting their lead guard and all-american Shelvin Mack back. The idea of Mack playing with the sophomore version of Khyle Marshall is appetizing for me, but terrifying for the Horizon League

Shelvin Mack, Butler: Would Mack have gone to three straight national championship games? The odds would have been exceedingly low. Losing Matt Howard was a crushing blow to the Bulldogs. I didn't blame Mack for leaving last April because of the sting of losing two straight national championship games. Mack had come back without teammate Gordon Hayward and now he was expected to do it again without Howard? Still, the lockout is on, and Mack isn't in Washington playing for the Wizards. Put Mack on the Bulldogs next to Ronald Nored and newcomer Roosevelt Jones with Andrew Smith and Khyle Marshall inside, and the Bulldogs are once again an intriguing threat to go deep. If the lockout lasts well into the winter, Mack may watch Butler games and find himself at Hinkle Fieldhouse longing for his final season of eligibility. It would be a shame if the lockout lasts for months and Mack sits idle. He had one more run in him.

Mack speaks in the purest terms of the phrase, as Xavier does hold an event to inaugurate its season, but it's more of a pure practice that Musketeers fans can sit in and watch. There are no video displays, pep band beats or half-court-shot contests. Just a real practice and scrimmage that allows fans to see the early signs of what Xavier basketball can and will be in the upcoming season. Butler and VCU, Final Four participants from last year, will also not open their doors for fans this Friday. And they haven't participated in the trend in the past, either.

Homer Drew was the designer of one of March Madness’ greatest upset moments. Actually, it’s just as accurate to eliminate the word “upset” in the previous sentence. The tip-pass play executed by Drew’s Valparaiso squad that resulted in Homer’s son Bryce drilling that jumper to beat Mississippi in the 1998 NCAA Tournament’s first round has become a lasting reminder of hope for all small-conference teams who find themselves in the Dance. Hope…is exactly what Drew and his wife now need, more than ever. The school revealed yesterday that both Drew AND his wife were recently diagnosed with cancer. No further details. Awful, awful, awful news. Our best wishes and prayers go out to both of them and the entire Drew family.